Safety watch-retainer.



F. M, FRANKLIN. SAFETY WATCH RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1909.

987,291 Patented Mar.21,1911.

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SAFETY WATCH-RETAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed November 22, 1909. Serial No. 529,183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnron MANn'rrnR FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Watch-Retainers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in jewelry, and particularly to watch and chain connections, the object of the present invention being to produce a safety watch retainer or catch for retaining the watch in the pocket of the wearer without danger of falling out or being stolen. The especial point aimed at being to produce a portable retainer which will be a permanent part of the watch-chain of such structure that should any one surreptitiously attempt to steal the watch by snatching at the chain, such action will but cause the retainer to more tightly grip the lap of the pocket. Also to produce a retainer or catch which can be easily and quickly released and removed with the watch when it is desired to look at the time of day.

I also aim to produce a simple and inexpensive structure and' yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved watch retainer. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the manner in which the lap of the pocket is engaged when the chain is snatched or pulled surreptitiously. Fig. 4 is a side view of a watch and chain showing the mannor in which the retainer may be opened as part of the chain for portable purposes. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the retainer. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the retainer.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing a modified form of lock structure from that shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the character of reference on the drawing, 1 designates a watch, and 2 the usual ring thereon which is engaged with the usual form of catch 3.

Formed as a component part of the catch 3, I provide a body 4 having a central recess 5 in which is pivotally mounted a dog 6 on a pin 7, such dog having a bottom thumb member 8 projecting through a slot 9 in the body 4, such dog 6 having a spring 10 bearing against it to hold it normally projecting through a slot 11 in the body 4 and into engagement with a ratchet wheel 12 pivotally mounted between cars 13 on the body 4, such ratchet wheel 12 having a projecting arm 14.normally lying parallel to the body 4 and having a central longitudinal slot 15 in which is pivoted a dog 16 having an eye 17 on its lower end adapted to connect with the usual chain 18.

In practice the lap 19 of the pocket carrying the watch is intersected between the member 4 and 14 in the space a, said members 4 and 14 being held rigid in this normal position by means of the engagement of the dog 6 with the catch 12. Thus should any one surreptitiously snatch the chain 18 and pull it upward to jerk the watch from the pocket, such action would drive the dog 16 into the cloth 19 and thus hold the watch firmly in position and the harder the pull on the chain, the better hold such dog would take of said cloth. On the other hand, when the owner of the watch wishes to remove the same for any purpose, he merely presses the thumb member 8 and this releases the dog 6 from the ratchets 12, and the arm 14 is then free to turn on its pivotal point and by pulling on the chain the members 4, 14 and 18 pull out in alinement as shown in Fig. 4 leaving the watch free to be easily and quickly removed from the pocket at will. Then when the watch is again placed in the pocket, the member 14 is returned to normal closed position, the dog 6 is forced into engagement with the ratchets 12 by the spring 10, and then the safety retaining means is again in position for use.

The member 14 by reason of this ratchet anddog-mechanism and its hinge construction will readily adjust itself to any th1ckness of cloth on the-lap of the pocket.

In the modified view shown in Fig. 7 the structure of the lock mechanism is reversed,

. a dog being'on the arm 14, and a ratchet V rack 21 taking the place of the dog 6.

vFrom the foregoing description it will bereadily seen that Irhave produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention-as set forth herein.

1 While this specification sets forth in-detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such devia tions from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

' Having thus described my invention what I'claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 7

members, a ring pivotally mounted in the other member, a dogon' said ring projecting'toward themember having said retaining catch, said members having a means for lockingfthem together in any desired relative position. p a

s 52. A watch retaining means comprising j two members hinged together at their upper ends and projecting therefrom in spaced re lation, a retaining catch on one of said members, a dog pivotally mounted in one of said members and being movable towardv the other member, said members having a means ifor' locking them-together in any desired relative position.

8. A watch retaining means comprisingtwo members hinged togetherjat one pointand capable of being pulled out in horizontal alinement, means for locking said members .inany desired relative position, a retaining hook on one member,;a chain receiving means onthe other member, and a dogmovable in one member toward the other member, as described.

4:. A watch retaining means comprising two members, a dog in one of said members, means on the other'member for engaging said dog to hold both members in rigid position with relation to each other, a .watch retaining oatohzon one of said members, and means connected with one of said members for engaging any material inserted between said members.

- 5. A watch retaining means comprising two members, one hinged to the other, a dog in one member, means in the other member for engaging said dog tohold said 'members rigid with respect to each other, a watch-retaining catch on one of said members, and means connected with one of said members for enga ing any material inserted between said mem ers. I

;6. A watch retaining means two members hinged together, aratchet on one of said members, means on the other member for engaging said ratchet tohold sald members rigid with respect to each other, a watch retaining catch onone of said members, and means' connected' with one of said members for engaging anymaterial inserted between said members.

'In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in'presence of two witnesses.

FREDRIOK MANETTER FRANKLIN.

V Witnesses:

J osHUa B. WEBSTER,

PERCY S. WEBSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive c ents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, -Washington, r. c.

comprising i 

